Massage therapy licensing guidelines: Philadelphia
The state of Pennsylvania recently passed massage therapy licensing guidelines, which caused many communities within the state to repeal their guidelines for licensing of massage therapists. This includes Philadelphia. Additionally, Philadelphia also phased out its Massage Therapy Business Premise License in an initiative to consolidate the business licensing procedures. Certain things such as a Certificate of Occupancy and an Employer ID Number are still required to work as a massage therapy business owner in Philadelphia.
Escorts wishing to transition into the field of massage therapy or adapt current services must comply with the following guidelines set forth by the state of Pennsylvania:
Massage therapy license applicants must provide proof of completion of a high school education or the equivalent.
Applicants for a state massage therapy license must submit a completed application, accompanied by a non-refundable application fee.
A copy of identification is required along with one's application form. The identification must be a legal form, such as a driver's license, military identification, passport or other government identification. The copy must be printed on an 8.5 in. by 11 in. sheet of standard white paper.
CPR certification is required. Proof of the certification printed on an 8.5 in. by 11 in. sheet of standard white paper is necessary with all applications.
Candidates must arrange for and send copies of a criminal background check for every state they have lived in over the past 5 years. The background check report must be no older than 6 months old at the time of application.
Candidates are required to obtain a massage therapy education consisting of at least 600 hours of in-class, post-secondary instruction. An official transcript is required as proof. The 600 hours of instruction must include:
250 hours of massage therapy and bodywork assessment, theory and practice of massage therapy, safety, sanitation and hygiene
175 hours of anatomy, kinesiology, physiology and pathology, along with special instruction involving HIV and risks
150 hours of related courses, including CPR
25 hours of professional ethics, business or law
Applicants must provide proof of passage (with official test scores) of one of two national massage and bodyworks examinations:
National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodyworks (NCETMB)
Massage and Bodyworks Licensure Examination (MBLEx)
Candidates must send in the "Certification of Good Moral Character" form filled out and signed by two individuals who have known the candidate for at least 6 months.
Licensees must renew their licenses every 2 years by keeping their CPR certification current, obtaining at least 24 hours of continuing education and paying the renewal fee.
Licensees may not:
Violate a patient's boundaries through exposure, disclosure or privacy violations.
Expose a patient's genitals, gluteal cleft or breasts unless to temporarily perform treatment to a specific area.
Engage in sexual harassment, impropriety, violation, abuse or intimacies during the professional relationship.
